Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Meme time.... This one's stolen from Fred, who stole it from someone else, etc., etc. Here are the rules:

Go here and see what was on the top of the charts on the day you were born and every birthday thereafter. Learn just how astrologically-musically lame your life has been. If you want, add in your own favorite Hot 100 hit single of that year, wishing that your birthday had been cool enough to have that song be #1.

1971: "My Sweet Lord/Isn't It a Pity" by George HarrisonFavorite: Oh, so many good ones here. Besides "My Sweet Lord," there's "Knock Three Times" by Tony Orlando and Dawn, "Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin, "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" by the Temptations, "Brown Sugar" by the Rolling Stones, "Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves" by Cher, "Theme From Shaft" by Isaac Hayes, "Family Affair" by Sly & the Family Stone....

1972: "Brand New Key" by MelanieFavorite: Again, so many to list. In fact, I think I like just about everything on the list. I'll go with "Without You" by Harry Nilsson, with the caveat that that's subject to change.

1973: "You're So Vain" by Carly SimonFavorite: Man, '70s hit radio ruled. Tough to narrow down, so I'm going with a tie between "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips and "Frankenstein" by the Edgar Winter Group.

1974: "The Joker" by the Steve Miller BandFavorite: Too many to choose! "Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks, "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" by John Lennon and "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas.

1975: "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" by Elton JohnFavorite: Holy shit, there are a lot of different songs here. It's like there was a different one every week. Talk about a fickle listening public. Anyway, despite the fact that I love almost all of them and a lot of them have nostalgic associations for me, I'm going with "Rhinestone Cowboy" by Glen Campbell, which to me might be the most perfect pop song ever written.

1976: "Convoy" by C.W. McCall. Yee-haw!Favorite: "Afternoon Delight" by the Starland Vocal Band. (What? You wanna make something of it? Just be thankful I didn't pick "Disco Duck.")

1977: "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)" by Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.Favorite: What? No Sex Pistols? Sheesh. In that case, I'm going with "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band" by Meco.

1978: "How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee GeesFavorite: Seriously, this was the year of the Gibb brothers. Either the Bee Gees or Andy Gibb had the #1 song for something like seven months straight. But I choose "Kiss You All Over" by Exile.

1979: "Too Much Heaven" by the Bee GeesFavorite: Still so many to choose from. Man, if it weren't for the fact that the no one had Internet access, I wish I could live back in the '70s. My choices: "Pop Muzik" by M, "Babe" by Styx, "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward and "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes.

1987: "Walk Like an Egyptian" by the BanglesFavorite: "Walk Like an Egyptian," "At This Moment" by Billy Vera & the Beaters (I'm such a nerd I still remember watching the episode of "Family Ties" that launched this when it first aired) and "With or Without You" by U2.

1988: "So Emotional" by Whitney HoustonFavorite: This is actually the first year on this list where I hate more of the songs than I like. Is this a common experience for the rest of you, to feel like this about popular music at the time you start college, or it is just that things started to suck in 1988? Or a little a both? Anyway, I still really like "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns 'N' Roses.

1989: "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by PoisonFavorite: "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals, "Batdance" by Prince and "Like a Prayer" by Madonna.

1990: "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil CollinsFavorite: "Vogue" by Madonna and "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor.

1995: "On Bended Knee" by Boyz II MenFavorite: "Take a Bow" by Madonna, "This is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan and "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio.

1996: "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men. (More proof that Billboard was trying to kill me in the '90s. Really now, why would these two need to team up for a song. Why? It's 12 years later and I still haven't gotten over the trauma.)Favorite: God help me, it's "Macarena" by Los Del Rio.

1997: "Un-break My Heart" by Toni BraxtonFavorite: Is there another year with less variety among the #1's? You can count the different songs on one hand. But I'd still like "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls, regardless.

1998: "Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997" by Elton JohnFavorite: "Gettin' Jiggy With It" by Will Smith, I guess.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

It's been a while, so I figured I'd share some of my new favorite blogs with you...

• Passive-Agressive NotesThose annoying little uptight notes your coworkers or roommates like to leave you can be an art form in themselves. This site gives them the proper appreciation they deserve, along with one of the most outright hilarious comment sections you'll ever see.• It's Lovely! I'll Take It!Snarky musings on the best of the worst of real estate listing photos.• Cake WrecksMore of the same, but this time taking aim at the professional cake industry.• Strange MapsPeople will create odd or badly designed maps for any occasion. This blog takes a more scholarly approach to deconstructing them, with lots of interesting historical tidbits along the way.• Photoshop DisastersWhen graphic design goes horribly wrong.• Wrong Side of the ArtAn encyclopedic collection of trashy exploitation movie posters.• i am neuroticAnonymous posters share their strange neuroses and compulsions. You are not alone.